


Gut Feeling

by Fauxginger



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: AU- Spouse Alive, Canon Typical Violence, F/M, Some Spoilers, Swearing, You'd think a threesome would be the best solution but then there would be no plot, hey lets upload this at 1am on my mobile, wow yeah a lot of swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-09 10:03:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5535764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fauxginger/pseuds/Fauxginger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sole Survivor Adrian returns to the vault after seeing something in Kellog's memories.<br/>Turns out someone isn't as dead as she thought.</p>
<p>Based on a Tumblr post by Stephheck</p>
<p>Alternative Title: "My lovers won't stay dead and this is becoming a real inconvenience for me" By Fall Out Boy</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Over the years, Hancock had seen a lot of emotions on people's faces. Sure, the more common ones were disgust or anger given his predicament, and there were still a few surprises here and there, but he liked to think he could read people pretty well.

But when Adrian came out of that mercenaries head, she was unreadable. Purposely. Her face was fixed, no hint of smile or frown, just...fixed.

He saw a hint of emotion when the synth, Nick, spoke in some gravely voice he'd never heard before. She looked terrified as he spoke, and looked nervous the as conversation went on.

"I'll hang with Hancock a little longer." She said, the casualness of the sentence not fitting her body language at all. She looked almost sad, but determined. He had no hope of knowing what was going on inside her head.

They returned to sanctuary. Or, he thought they were. She kept walking, down a path, up a hill, slowing as she reached the top; a big metal platform. She vanished into the hut at the side for a moment before gesturing to the platform. As it started to move down, she tucked her hand into his.

"You alright Love?" He asked, though he knew the answer.

"Fine. I just..." She didn't finish the sentence, staring ahead at the horizon as it vanished out of sight.

He followed her cautiously through the vault, she didn't even draw her gun.

"Nothing alive in here, John." She said quietly, and he sped up to walk alongside her. They walked into a room with these weird pods on each side, and it suddenly struck him where this was.

"Damn," he whispered "if you wanna leave."

"No." She said quietly. Two pods near the end were open. Her brow furrowed and her pace sped up. She turned to look at the pod on the right before stumbling backwards. She fell entirely ungracefully to the floor, hands over her mouth and holding back what was either going to be a scream or a sob. He looked into the pod.

It was empty.

-

She didn't say a word as they walked back into Sanctuary. Too shocked, he imagined. There was some kind of commotion going on at the main street, and as they got closer he heard a man yelling.

"What the...what the fuck is going on? Where's Shaun? Where's my wife? Codsworth? Answer me!"

At the sound of the voice she broke into a run, and Hancock quickly followed. As they rounded the corner into the street, he saw a man standing in front of her old house, yelling at the robot and Preston. He was a handsome guy, even without ignoring the nasty scar and the discolouration on one side of his face. How Adrian could look at a ghoul without flinching kind of made sense now, if this was who he thought it was. He was wearing a Vault suit, with a rather large bloodstain on the stomach. They should probably get a look at that.

The guy quickly noticed her heading towards him, and he shoved past Preston.

"Adrian, what the hell is-" he stopped as he caught sight of Hancock behind her. "oh fucking shit, Adrian what the fuck is that, what the fucking shit." He stumbled backward, actually falling onto the pavement and bringing a hand up in defence as Adrian and Hancock got closer to him.

"Nate...oh god Nate...we need to talk."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Awkward: causing or feeling uneasy embarrassment or inconvenience.  
>  Example: John felt awkward as hell watching his current girlfriend wrap bandages around the perfectly sculpted torso of her not-so-dead husband who insisted on maintaining eye contact with him._

“…and I swear if you rip out the best stitches I have done in months, I’ll shove that bullet back in. Rest.” Adrian finished and patted Nate’s stomach. Her smile faded away, “Okay, so now you’re definitely not dying…”

“What is he?” Nate interrupted, finally taking his eyes away from John. Oh yay, he’s _that_ kind of guy.

“I’m Hancock.” John narrowed his eyes at Nate.

“He’s a friend.” Adrian added, and John did his best to not look hurt. Then again breaking the poor saps heart when he’s fresh out of the vault might not be the best idea. Especially when he keeps looking at John like _that_.

“Right. And _what_ is he? I mean,” Nate laughed a little, god his laugh was obnoxious, and by obnoxious of course John meant _perfect like the rest of him_ , “He looks like a god damn zombie.”

“We’re called Ghouls, asshole.” John spat.

“It’s just the result of radiation exposure, Nate. The world has changed, okay? Things have changed.” Nate reached out and put his hand over hers.

“Not everything, right?” Adrian paused for a moment before pulling her hand away.

“I need to go tell Preston you’ll be staying here.” She stood and quickly left the room. John just looked at Nate for a moment before following her. She walked until they were out of sight and earshot before turning back to him. She ran a hand through her dirty blonde hair and sighed.

“You can’t tell him.”

“I was going to,” she said, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck, “I just…fuck I can’t…words.”

“I know.” He wrapped his arms around her began to stroke her back slowly as she gently kissed the exposed bit of his neck. She was such an amazing negotiator, but the instant it came to her own feelings it was like she got stage fright. “We’ll wait until he’s settled, until he finds a place. It won’t be so hard on him then.”

“John, that could be months.” She whispered, her breath tickling his throat. For someone who wasn’t big on PDA, Adrian could sure be affectionate when the mood struck her.

“Well then, we better hope sneaking around is as sexy as they say it is.” Adrian laughed into his shoulder, before raising her head and kissing him.

“What did I ever do to deserve you, John Hancock.”

-

Sneaking around, John realise, was not sexy as he’d been led to believe. It was stressful; he and Adrian were constantly on edge. Especially when Nate was no longer on bedrest. John truly began reflecting on his choices when Adrian had to shove him out of a window. He lay there in the dirt, listening to Adrian awkwardly explain what she was doing in a room with her shirt pulled open. He didn’t think for a moment Nate would buy it, but he left with minimal complaints. Things only got worse when Adrian decided to get the other settlements sorted, taking Dogmeat with her, leaving him at the truck stop with everyone else. It was her little base of operations, keeping everyone in one place so she could always find them. Plus it meant they actually talked to each other too. Less likely to get jealous of this other person in your partners life when you’ve seen them hit their head on a fuel pipe for the third time that week.

As time passed it only became more and more clear to Hancock that Adrian was still putting off telling Nate about them. Or even that she no longer had any feelings for him. She let him sit close to her at meal times, nodded politely when he said stuff about ‘their future’. All the while Hancock sat the other side, screaming on the inside.

-

Nate’s first clue that Adrian had moved on was when she pulled away when he placed his hand on hers. The second was finding their wedding rings, along with the holotape he’d made for her, in a trunk in the gutted shell of their old house. He asked around; she never went in there. He knew she was just worried about him, worried that he’d snap or break down at the thought of her with someone else, but he got it. He was dead to her, she had mourned him and was trying to find their son.

To Nate, it just became a matter of who her new lover was. He knew it was someone, he wasn’t a complete idiot. He was fairly sure it wasn’t the big green guy. If it was he’d just go ahead and get back in the cryo-pod. Cornering Adrian’s friends didn’t help, most of them pretended not to know anything, except for that Danse guy who seemed genuinely unaware of anything. He mentioned her not giving a clear answer to a question on her physical, whatever that meant. He decided to confront the one person he actually felt remotely comfortable approaching. The ghoul. He was laying down on one of the couches in the main building, either on or coming down from something.

“Hey, Hancock.”

“Yeah?” The ghoul opened one eye, and Nate resisted a shudder. The rest of him he could handle, but the all black eyes were just a smidge too creepy. Made him want to break out holy water or something.

“Adrian’s with someone else, isn’t she?” Both of the eyes were open now. Hancock sat up, and Nate quickly sat down next to him.

“I uh, what makes you say that?”

“I’m not a complete idiot, you know. And I was her husband.” Nate reached into his pocket and pulled out the rings. “was.”

“She still loves you, Nate, she just…”

“I get it, Hancock, I do. She grieved over me, she moved on. It’s healthy. I just want her to tell me. It’s been what, 2 months?”

“Six and a half weeks.”

“See that’s…” Nate paused, the rings sitting in his palm. He squinted at them for a moment before closing his hand into a fist. “…it’s you, isn’t it.”

Hancock stammered, staring at Nate’s closed fist, begging for his brain to come up with some incredible lie that would get him out of this. As if some higher power demanded it, there was a creaking noise as the main gates opened, and a distant barking confirmed the identity of the traveller.

Nate quickly stormed from the room, leaving Hancock clutching the couch like his life depended on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanock's inner monologue: shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit fuck shit shit shit shit shit
> 
> Well it took me almost half a year but i FINALLY finished this chapter!  
> I was stuck on it for so long and then i realised I was painting Nate as a bit of an asshole, so added a little bit of his perspective and the whole thing just went
> 
> Next Chapter: CONFRONTATION YAY


	3. Chapter 3

When Hancock eventually pulled himself off the couch and outside, the argument between Adrian and Nate was already in full swing.

“…can you even have sex with that thing?”

“First of all, none of your fucking business. Second of all his name is John! He isn't a god damn thing!”

While admittedly Hancock liked hearing Adiran defend him so ferociously, he knew that if this fight went on longer they'd all say something they'd regret. Nate wasn't a bad guy, he reasoned, he's just been caught off guard.

“Okay, enough.” A familiar voice silenced the two extremely loud ones. Nick, who until now had been watching from his shack. “Adrian, head inside. Nate, come with me. You and I are gonna talk.”

Adrian continued to mutter many explicit and creative names for Nate as Hancock led her inside, settling with her on the same couch that had been his lifeline moments before. He heard a slight protest from Nate outside, but it quickly fell silent except for the sound of two people walking along the road. Nick must be taking him to Sanctuary, he guessed.

“Are you okay? He didn't…you're okay right?” Adrian asked, bringing Hancock back into the room, her hands ghosting over him as she checked for…something.

“Im fine, love. I think he was just…shocked.”

“If he had done something to you…” Adrian paused, cupping Hancock’s face in her hands. “I'd have killed him.” He could feel her hands shaking.

“I know.” Hancock stroked her hands. Adrian leant into him, “hey, hold on a second. Are you okay?” Hancock shifted back on the couch, taking her wrists gently and pulling her hands away.

“I'm f…” She shook her head. “No, I'm not. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.”

“I know, you wanted to tell him on your own terms…”

“No John, I mean… I was going to go back into Law, Nate was going to get a job, somewhere. We’d send Codsworth for a service, hire some neighbour kid to watch Shaun while we went on date nights…”

“And then the vault, I know.”

“Yeah. So I made a new plan, find Shaun, do what I could with the world.”

“Mhm…” Hancock pulled Adrian close, letting her rant about her plans and her intentions, and how many times they'd been changed or altered. He stayed silent when she mentioned him as a change, another extra piece she had to fit in somewhere. At some point she’d started crying; he stroked her hair.

“I don't…I don't want you to think I don't love you.” She said suddenly. He looked down at her. Had either of them used the word love yet? “It's not a bad thing you changed my plans. I'm so happy of the life I have right now it's…”

“It's just hitting you how much it's all changed? How little of your old life is left?” Adrian nodded.

“Nate came back and I had something, it wasn't the same as before but maybe it could be better, like you, but now he hates me.”

“He doesn't hate you. He loves you. That's why this is hard for him.” Hancock whispered, kissing her head.

“It's hard for you too, isn't it.”

“…”

“John?”

“…I won't lie, Adrian. It's hard. But you're worth it. You're worth every raider, every tumble, hell babe, you're worth every Deathclaw.” Adrian snorted as she laughed.

“Oh god, there have been a few hasn't there.”

“Nate’ll be back love, he won't leave you. He just needs to get his head back on.”

“…ugh, you need to stop being so wonderful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the true mystery of this fic: will i ever update at a time that isn't past midnight?  
> Probably not.  
> This is short but I wanted to post something because you guys have been wonderful with comments and kudos  
> Next Chapter: Nick tells Nate off, Nate probably wishes he was still frozen.


	4. Chapter 4

The ro- Nick, had been silent for a really long time. It wasn’t until they were well into Sanctuary Hills, now just Sanctuary, that he spoke.

“So, you trying to get yourself killed?” Nick turned to him, and both of them stopped.

“What?”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Nick repeated slower. “Because that’s what’s going to happen if you keep acting like this. Adrian cares about you, of course she does, but I don’t think she’ll hesitate if you lay a finger on anyone.”

“I…” Nate opened his mouth, but Nick raised one of his skeletal fingers.

“No, you’re not talking. I’m talking. I’ve seen stuff from before, even got a few memories of it kicking around in here.” He tapped the side of his head. “I know that face of yours wouldn’t have earned you the best treatment, even before the scars. Don’t bring that shit with you, don’t treat John how people treated you. He’s basically a kid, wasn’t even born until well after you went on ice. Got it?” He didn’t even wait for Nate to agree before continuing. “Adrian has been through hell and back looking for your kid. She’s hit of a bit of a dead end at the moment, she’s trying to find a way to go into the Glowing Sea without dying to find this scientist. Any spare moment she has she spends searching through ruins for supplies, fighting off feral ghouls and probably trying not to think about how plenty of folks think her boyfriend is gonna turn into one and trying not to think that herself. Now, I don’t know how serious those two are, John doesn’t exactly seem like the committing type, but I do know they’re happy. And if you stop Adrian being happy...”

Nick leant in close and raised his skeletal hand.

_"I’ll rip your spine out through your asshole.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i had to end it on that line.  
> i had to.


	5. I am the worst and I am so so sorry

When Nate finally got back to the truck stop it was dark. After the threat, Nick had shown him around his old neighbourhood, introduced him to the settlers. One old woman muttered about him being wrong, how he wasn't supposed to be here, and Nate tried not to take it too personally. ‘Chems’, he was told, whatever those were.

He wandered into the main building and couldn't help but glance into the room Adrian had claimed as hers. The room was tiny, barely big enough to fit the two beds Adrian had shoved next to each other. But he understood why she'd done that now. She slept kind of on her side, back flat against the mattress but head and hips turned to one side, one hand against her stomach and the other resting under the pillow. She used to sleep completely on her side, he remembered, back when beds were softer and would give a little. Nate stood watching her for a while, telling himself it was creepy and he should leave, that at any moment her or John could wake up and he'd probably get shot at by whatever gun that pillow was hiding.

It hurt to look at them, yet he couldn't help but compare with how they used to sleep. He'd be behind her, holding her on cold nights or barely touching on warm ones. Now all the nights were cold but Hancock slept in front of her, on his side, his hand with hers under the pillow. His face would be the first thing she’d see when she opened her eyes. Probably said something about how their relationships were different, or maybe it was just the world that had changed.

“Nate?” A hoarse voice came from the bed, and Adrian's eyes opened. He smiled at her.

“Go back to sleep. I'll see you soon.”

-

Adrian wished she could say she never saw Nate again. For her, that would have been a better end to their tale. But no. She saw him.

He looked terrible. He'd lost weight, too much weight, and his eyes looked off.

“I did it.” He croaked when she rushed to his side, him falling into her. “I made it to him.”

“Made it to who? Nate? Nate talk to me.” Others were already approaching them, but he looked delirious. He smiled and pushed something into her hand. A bit of paper? He slipped further in her grasp; they both ended up kneeling on the ground.

“The CIT…listen to this as the CIT….” he reached up and cupped her face. “I love you. But I was supposed to die in the vault. At least I did something this time.”

“Shit, Adrian is he okay?”

"Oh god is that Nate?"

"Someone get some fucking radaway or somethin!"

Adrian couldn't tell who was talking. Her focus was entirely on the man dying in front of her.

“Y-you gotta get his notes.” He sputtered out, as if he'd forgotten about this until now.

“Whose notes?”

“V-Virgil….I promised him…though I think he knows I’m not….”

-

When Hancock eventually realised what was going on, it was too late. Adrian was cradling a limp Nate in her arms, staring into space while everyone else kept a respectful distance. He walked round the crowd, placing a hand on Adrian's shoulder.

“Come on…”

“I can't.” She snapped, coming out of her daze. She stared at him, tears starting to fill her eyes. “I don't want to leave him alone again John. What if he wakes up and I'm not here? He'll be so confused, he'll hurt himself or hurt someone else. I need to be here, I need to stay with him.” The tears spilled over. “What kind of person just leaves their husband to die?!”

He paused, and looked down at the body in her arms. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Adrian, he's not coming back this time. Come on, he was in the glowing sea we need to…” he sighed, reevaluated. He looked at her, tears streaming down her face as she clutched a limp body and a paper note like they were her only lifelines in the world. He looked up at the crowd around them. “Fetch some blankets.”

“John?” Adrian asked, still looking down at Nate.

“I'll wait with you, doll. He’ll need more than one friendly face. Y’know. When he wakes up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *doesnt update for months*  
> *finally updates with THIS*
> 
> Seriously I am so, so sorry.  
> I might write an alternate final chapter that's happier but for now u guys get this train wreck.

**Author's Note:**

> I spent 20 minutes customising my Nate just for him to be shot. Fuck you Bethesda I put EFFORT into this.
> 
> Let me know if you guys like this!  
> I am planning on writing more, but Kudos and comments will obviously inspire me!
> 
> And again, thank you so much to tumblr user Stephheck for the idea! Hope you enjoy it!


End file.
